Jan 2010 Trip to India and where else?
Jun 16th, 2009, 06:34 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 340
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Jan 2010 Trip to India and where else?
My wife and I are planning a trip to Mumbai, India from New York City in mid-Jan. 2010. This is more of a family trip and we would like to spend 1 week in India meeting family & so on. We have traveled extensively in India already and so the 1 week in India is largely going to be about visiting family only.
We would then like spend an additional week vacationing somewhere outside India after we are done with our 1 week stay in India. Bali, Indonesia would be ideal but I am struggling with the itinerary. Maldives or some place like that could also work. Any other good suggestions? We've already been to Thailand/Cambodia & loved it, Singapore, Japan too ..., but not yet been to Vietnam.
It would be great if we can fly on an airline that goes NYC - Asian hub like Singapore/BKK - Mumbai. Since most airlines allow 1 free stop in the connecting city, it would have been nice to halt in Singapore/BKK on the way back, buy a separate RT tkt to go to Bali /other destination from Singapore, spend a week in Bali & then continue on back to NYC from Singapore. Problem is (i) it'll be longer flying via Asia from NYC to India (ii) I can't find any airlines that fly 1-stop from NYC to India via Asian hubs.
The alternative is to fly via Europe but we would like to holiday in a sunny, warm place in January. So, if the Asia plan is not feasible, we may have to consider flying via a Euro hub like London & then take EasyJet or whatever to some southern destination in Europe. Any suggestions? Appreciate any thoughts.
We would then like spend an additional week vacationing somewhere outside India after we are done with our 1 week stay in India. Bali, Indonesia would be ideal but I am struggling with the itinerary. Maldives or some place like that could also work. Any other good suggestions? We've already been to Thailand/Cambodia & loved it, Singapore, Japan too ..., but not yet been to Vietnam.
It would be great if we can fly on an airline that goes NYC - Asian hub like Singapore/BKK - Mumbai. Since most airlines allow 1 free stop in the connecting city, it would have been nice to halt in Singapore/BKK on the way back, buy a separate RT tkt to go to Bali /other destination from Singapore, spend a week in Bali & then continue on back to NYC from Singapore. Problem is (i) it'll be longer flying via Asia from NYC to India (ii) I can't find any airlines that fly 1-stop from NYC to India via Asian hubs.
The alternative is to fly via Europe but we would like to holiday in a sunny, warm place in January. So, if the Asia plan is not feasible, we may have to consider flying via a Euro hub like London & then take EasyJet or whatever to some southern destination in Europe. Any suggestions? Appreciate any thoughts.
Jun 16th, 2009, 06:56 AM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 29,053
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
january is a great time weatherwise in SE Asia....bangkok is always a good hub...
you can use any number of airlines to get there....united/delta (northwest), british, air france, luftansa, emerites, eva, ANA, japan, korean, singapore, malay, china, cathy pacific and others...
you can use any number of airlines to get there....united/delta (northwest), british, air france, luftansa, emerites, eva, ANA, japan, korean, singapore, malay, china, cathy pacific and others...
Jun 16th, 2009, 10:33 AM
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 340
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well, I want to buy 1 ticket: NYC - Mumbai via one of the Asian hubs if possible. I just spoke to a travel agent and he says you can't really do that anymore for a reasonable price. A lot of the Asian carriers have dropped frights to India via Asia from the East Coast.
IN mid-Jan, he says a ticket to India should be available for under $1000.. However, if I want to go via Asia, the cheapest itinerary he could arrange was around $1600 and that was with 2 stops in between.
So, I may be looking for a warm destination in Southern Europe for mid-Jan. is there any such place?
IN mid-Jan, he says a ticket to India should be available for under $1000.. However, if I want to go via Asia, the cheapest itinerary he could arrange was around $1600 and that was with 2 stops in between.
So, I may be looking for a warm destination in Southern Europe for mid-Jan. is there any such place?
Jun 17th, 2009, 07:40 AM
#4
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 10,210
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It seems to me you actually have many options if you go in Asia. For example, you could go to Mumbai via Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific for about $1,200 round-trip. Then you could jump over to the Philippines easily from Hong Kong, and they have excellent beaches and are just as cheap as Bali and much more easily reached.
You could go via Dubai or Abu Dhabi, but it might be too cool for the beach there in January.
I think the idea of going somewhere from Mumbai might also be a viable option. Perhaps Goa? I'm not sure of the season there, however. The Maldives would also be reached easily from Mumbai but are really expensive.
I think you'll be disappointed in the weather in southern Europe in January. It's likely to be cold and wet. But it's highest of the high season in the Philippines, one of my favorite places in the world. Boracay has one of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen.
You could go via Dubai or Abu Dhabi, but it might be too cool for the beach there in January.
I think the idea of going somewhere from Mumbai might also be a viable option. Perhaps Goa? I'm not sure of the season there, however. The Maldives would also be reached easily from Mumbai but are really expensive.
I think you'll be disappointed in the weather in southern Europe in January. It's likely to be cold and wet. But it's highest of the high season in the Philippines, one of my favorite places in the world. Boracay has one of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen.
Jun 18th, 2009, 05:47 AM
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 340
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks Doug and Frances! Philippines can be a good option. I'll look into it. In addition, I found that Singapore Air has a special right now - NYC to Mumbai RT via Singapore for $879... but it's for travel until 11/30/09. They also have a NYC - Bali for $679 RT. If they have anything similar in mid to late Jan next year (off-peak season), I'll pounce on that. I could go NYC - Bali and break my journey in Singapore from where I can buy a separate tkt for the Singapore-Mumbai journey for which there are plenty of flights at reasonable rates.
If I get these special rates, I could potentially do the entire trip for around $1300 RT pp.
But I'll also look into the Boracay option. The whole thing will hinges on when the airlines offer their discounted deals for mid-late Jan. Tarvel agents say I could wait until late fall.
A lot of my friends say I should skip Europe if I want warm climes. Having been to Dubai/Abu Dhabi, I'm not too keen on those unless I get a great deal on Emirates to Mumbai. Then I could potentially look for deals from the Dubai hub, where I can break the journey & try for Mauritius or Seychelles where Emirates flies direct from Dubai.
I suppose I'll have to wait until fall to figure out what's feasible.
If I get these special rates, I could potentially do the entire trip for around $1300 RT pp.
But I'll also look into the Boracay option. The whole thing will hinges on when the airlines offer their discounted deals for mid-late Jan. Tarvel agents say I could wait until late fall.
A lot of my friends say I should skip Europe if I want warm climes. Having been to Dubai/Abu Dhabi, I'm not too keen on those unless I get a great deal on Emirates to Mumbai. Then I could potentially look for deals from the Dubai hub, where I can break the journey & try for Mauritius or Seychelles where Emirates flies direct from Dubai.
I suppose I'll have to wait until fall to figure out what's feasible.
